What are the biggest concerns facing each NFC team?

As we embark on the second week of preseason, some glaring issues facing each team surfaced in the first week of games. Here’s a roundup of the biggest concerns facing each NFC team moving forward.

NFC East

(Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports)

Dallas Cowboys: There are a couple of big concerns facing Dallas — quarterback Tony Romo’s health coming off of back surgery, and improving a woeful defense from last season.

After a preseason defeat against the San Diego Chargers in which Romo did not play, it’s clear the defense still needs work. Dallas allowed 27 points to the Chargers. Perhaps the biggest cause of concern was how San Diego did it; starting quarterback Phillip Rivers and backup Kellen Clemens combined to go a perfect 9-for-9 for 195 yards and one touchdown. That’s not going to cut it for the Cowboys, who ranked 30th in the NFL last season in passing defense (286.8 yards allowed).

New York Giants: Although they scored 20 points in a victory against the Steelers (in addition to 17 against the Bills in the Hall of Fame Game), the biggest uncertainty facing the Giants is the continued installation of the new offense.

Coordinator Ben McAdoo enters his first season at the helm of the offense and the word Giants players and coaches used to describe their mood at the start of training camp was “nervous.” Some of that anxiety appears to be transforming into confidence, but there is still a lot of work left if the Giants want to reduce their league-high 40 turnovers from 2013.

Philadelphia Eagles: It seemed like the Eagles would boast one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2014. Coming off of his superb first season in coach Chip Kelly’s offense, quarterback Nick Foles is expected to build on his 27:2 touchdown to interception ratio from 2013.

In a 34-28 loss to the Chicago Bears, however, Foles matched his two picks from last year, going 6-for-9 for 66 yards. If there’s any time to throw interceptions, it’s in the preseason, but Foles looked uncomfortable in the pocket and both picks came on throws off of his back foot. It’s not a massive concern, but the Eagles need Foles to be mechanically sound and lead the offense if they want to make another playoff run in 2014.

Washington Redskins: Washington is implementing a new offense under new head coach Jay Gruden. Throughout training camp, Gruden has said the read-option — an offense extremely familiar to quarterback Robert Griffin III — would be used sparingly, if at all.

That means Griffin will have to become more of a pocket passer. In Washington’s first preseason game, Griffin went 2-of-4 for nine yards; he did not attempt a rush. It’s hardly a complete sample size, but Griffin did appear comfortable in the pocket. Whether he can lead a dynamic offense for an entire season with his arm, however, is a much bigger question.

NFC South

Jake Matthews (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)

Atlanta Falcons: It’s quite simple — the Falcons need to get tougher, and it starts on both lines. After ranking 31st in rushing defense (135.8 yards per game) and 32nd in rushing offense (77.9 yards per game) in 2013, it was clear that upgrades were needed in the offseason.

Along the offensive line, rookie Jake Matthews is expected to be the cornerstone of the unit for years to come. On defense, the additions of tackle Paul Soliai and end Tyson Jackson bring higher expectations of the unit. In a 16-10 victory against the Miami Dolphins, the Falcons rushed for 84 yards, but allowed only 52. Throughout the rest of the preseason, the focus has to continue to be on both lines.

New Orleans Saints: They’re one of the favorites in the NFC, but the Saints still have some weaknesses to work on (even after their 26-24 victory against the St. Louis Rams).

The Saints’ offense runs through quarterback Drew Brees, but the team would gain an edge if its rushing attack became more physical. After ranking 25th in the NFL last season (92.1 rushing yards per game), the Saints opted to bring back running backs Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram. Because the franchise declined his fifth-year option, Ingram has something to prove and is playing for a contract. His eight carries, 83 yards and one touchdown may be the sign of a breakout season.

Now the Panthers are betting big on rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin. Though QB Cam Newton didn’t play in Carolina’s 20-18 loss against the Buffalo Bills, as he recovers from ankle surgery, Benjamin made a diving touchdown catch. With Benjamin and veteran Jerricho Cotchery, the Panthers will need Newton to get comfortable with all of the new faces.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: New coach Love Smith opted to bring in a veteran presence to push quarterback Mike Glennon. With the signing of Josh McCown, Glennon instantly became the backup. Was it the right move?

In a 16-10 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, McCown didn’t look comfortable in limited action, going 2-for-4 for 20 yards, one interception and two sacks. Glennon, on the other hand, went 11-for-19 for 140 yards, one touchdown and one sack. If McCown struggles through the rest of the preseason and to start the regular season, the fans will want Glennon to play. For the Bucs to compete in a tough division, they have to sort out their quarterback situation.

In a rain-soaked 20-16 defeat against the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay struggled once again to clamp down when it mattered most. In 2013, Green Bay ranked 20th in the NFL in red zone opponent scoring, yielding touchdowns on 59 % of attempts. Tennessee was a perfect 3-of-3 in the red zone. To win the division in 2014, Green Bay will need to improve on that mark significantly.

Chicago Bears: It wasn’t an issue in their victory against the Eagles Friday night, but the Bears still need to work on their rushing defense. Chicago ranked dead last in the NFL last season, ceding 161.4 rushing yards per game.

Against the Eagles, the Bears allowed just 76 yards, but don’t let that deceive you. Star running back LeSean McCoy had only one carry. The Bears appear to have made improvements with the additions of defensive ends Lamarr Houston and Jared Allen, but the unit needs to continue to focus on stopping the run.

Detroit Lions: Arguably the team with the most star power in the division, the Lions need to have their secondary and role players step up.

After ceding 246.9 passing yards per game, ranking 23rd in the NFL last season, the Lions released Chris Houston, leaving Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis as the likely starting cornerbacks. In a 13-12 victory against the Cleveland Browns, the Lions gave up 193 passing yards, and struggled at times to stop quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel. Detroit will have to continue to work on that throughout the preseason.

Minnesota Vikings: There’s no question what the biggest concern is for the Vikings: quarterback. The battle between rookie Teddy Bridgewater and veteran Matt Cassel appears to be even, so far.

In a 10-6 victory against the Oakland Raiders, both Bridgewater and Cassel got snaps with the first string, and both led the Vikings to points. Cassel was more efficient (5-for-6, 62 yards) than Bridgewater (6-for-13, 49 yards), but Bridgewater could be the choice because he has the potential to be a franchise QB. Expect this battle to continue through the next couple of preseason games, but the sooner the Vikings announce a starter, the sooner the rest of the offense can focus on getting used to that player’s tendencies.

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks: The reigning champions look vulnerable, after all. In a preseason defeat against their Super Bowl opponents, the Denver Broncos, the Seahawks showed their offensive line needs some help, as quarterback Russel Wilson was battered around.

The biggest concern is the health of left tackle Russel Okung, who sat out as he recovers from foot surgery, but the team is still dealing with the loss of right tackle Breno Giacomini, who signed with the New York Jets this offseason. On July 29, Seattle signed Eric Winston, who will compete with Justin Britt for the starting job. If the Seahawks want to have another Super Bowl season, they need to shore up their pass blocking first.

San Francisco 49ers: The one glaring criticism one can throw at the 49ers is their lack of production in the passing game. Though quarterback Colin Kaepernick is one of the most dynamic threats in the NFL, he struggles at times from the pocket.

Last year, San Francisco ranked 30th in passing offense (186.2 passing yards per game). In a 23-3 loss against the Baltimore Ravens, the 49ers generated only 116 passing yards. Kaepernick played sparingly, so the results are a bit skewed, but San Francisco needs to get more out of its passing attack in 2014.

Arizona Cardinals: It was the most dominant performance from the first week of the preseason: the Cardinals 32-point shutout of the Houston Texans. It’s hard to pick out deficiencies from that one game, but the Cardinals’ offensive line still needs work.

The Texans generated three sacks against Arizona Saturday. Last season, the Cardinals tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks allowed with 41. Playing in arguably the toughest division in the NFL, against the imposing defenses of the Seahawks and the 49ers, the Cardinals will need to protect quarterback Carson Palmer.

St. Louis Rams: He didn’t play in the Rams’ preseason opener, but much of the season depends on quarterback Sam Bradford. Coming off of a torn anterior cruciate ligament last season, Bradford has been brought along slowly.

He’s expected to be back for the season opener, but how ready he is for game action remains to be seen. It’s safe to say that Bradford will need some time to adjust when he returns, but when he does, he has to prove that he can be the franchise quarterback the Rams need him to be. If he struggles out of the gate, expect the Rams’ record to reflect that.